Waleed Aly Grills Sean Spicer On The Project

Sean Spicer on his regrets as Press Secretary, and why he wanted the job.

At just 182 days, Sean Spicer's tenure as White House Press Secretary was historically short.

On Thursday, the former White House mouthpiece went toe-to-toe with Waleed Aly, as the The Project host called Spicer out on his lies during his time as Press Secretary.

Spicer was thrown into the deep end on the first day of the job -- after President Donald Trump told him to correct the "false narrative" surrounding the inauguration.

"I think that there was obviously a lot of concern, there was this narrative that was being perpetuated, there was wasn't support for the president's inauguration or his candidacy," he said.

"The idea was to go out and find ways to express the tremendous support and enthusiasm we felt was exhibit in a lot of ways."

It was a day that could have gone a lot better, admitted Spicer -- one that he would like to have again.

But despite the volatile nature of Trump and his track record of saying things which were untrue, Spicer defended his decision to take the job.

"I have a desire to serve my country, and I thought, based on my background in government and the party, I could help guide the new administration forward. Sometimes I did that well and sometimes I didn't," Spicer said.

Trump uses "hyperbole and exaggeration" to sell his points, said Spicer, denying that he was undermining his country by shamelessly lying.

"When you look at the results for the president so far, he's largely been successful and promoting a conservative agenda that many of us in the movement have been fighting for and supporting for years, if not decades," he said.

The flip-flopping nature of Trump kept Spicer and the administration on their toes, as they battled to keep up with him saying things and then turning around saying the exact opposite.

"You knew the role I was getting into. We learn to adapt. It was an extremely hectic pace. If you watched him during the campaign, you knew what you were going to get as a president," he said.

At a time when the Trump administration is trying to distance itself from Paul Manafort -- who was campaign director for six months during the Presidential campaign -- in Spicer's book, he described Manafort as playing a bigger role.

Manafort has now been indicted on several charges, including failing to declare himself as a foreign agent, particularly of Russia.

"What the campaign needed and what his experience was, I wrote he brought a level of gravitas and maturity to the campaign," Spicer explained.

"I stand by the description that I give in the book of the role that Paul played."

Last September, Spicer stole the show, making a surprise appearance at the Emmys where he took aim at himself.

Image: Getty Images

But some did not think it appropriate to joke about the role he played in misleading the American public.

"I made a couple of jokes at my own expense. I think that people got a good laugh, and to some degree, in the current culture, we need a few more laughs, a little bit more civility and respect," he defended.

As for whether he believes Trump will get a second term as President?

"I think so. If you look at the current political landscape, in terms of his approval rating, with the economic prosperity we're dealing with it's a good sign for an incumbent."

Catch The Project from Sunday to Friday at 6.30pm on Ten and on Tenplay.